A01760:308
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our own arguments [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the answers and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Morton ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our ovvne argumemts [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the ansvveres and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Mortoune ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.
Leiden: printed by W. Christiaens, 1637
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Our Opposites should do well to assoil our Argument of scandal, before they propound another Argument against us, for •o long as they make it not evident, that the scandal of the Ceremonies, which we object, is no active or faulty scandal; as long they can not object the scandal of Non-conformity to us; because if the scandal (which is to be avoided) be in their practising of the Ceremonies, it can not be in our refusing of them.
4. Our Opposites should doe well to assoyle our Argument of scandall, before they propound another Argument against us, for •o long as they make it not evident, that the scandall of the Ceremonies, which we object, is no active or faulty scandall; as long they can not object the scandall of Non-conformity to us; because if the scandall (which is to be avoided) be in their practising of the Ceremonies, it can not be in our refusing of them.
5. We know many are grieved and displeased with our Non-conformity, yet that every one who is grieved is not by and by scandalized, the Bishop of Winchester teacheth as well as we. Many times lsaith he, men are grieved with that which is for their good, and earnestly set on that which is not expedient for them. But in good earnest, what do they mean, who say they are scandalized, or made worse by our Non-conformity? for neither do we make them condemn our lawful deed as unlawful, nor yet do we animate them by our example to do that which in their consciences they judge unlawful. They themselves acknowledge, that sitting is as lawful as kneeling; that the not observing of the five Holy-days is as lawful, as the observing of them; that the not Bishoping of children is as lawful as the Bishopping of them. Do they not acknowledge the indifferency of the things themselves? Do they not permit many of their people either to kneel, or to sit at the communion? Have not many of themselves taken the Communion sitting in some places? Have not our Conformists in Scotland hitherto commonly omitted Bishopping of Children, and the ministration of the Sacraments in private places? As for our selves, we make our meaning plain, when we object the scandal of Conformity, for many ignorant and superstitious persons are by the Ceremonies confirmed (expertus loquor) in their error and superstition: so that now they even settle themselves upon the old dregs of Popish superstition & formality, from which they were not well purged. Others are made to practise the Ceremonies, with a doubting and disallowing conscience, and to say with Naaman, in this the Lord be merciful unto us, if we err: with my own ears have I heard some say so. And even those who have not practised the Ceremonies, for that they can not see the lawfulness of them, yet are animated by the example of practising Conformists, to do these things which in their consciences they condemn as unlawful (which were to sin damnably:)